Instant gratification should not be underrated, especially in
the winter. As soon as I laid my hands on a skein of Spud & Chloe
Outer, I was a goner. Ultra soft, dense, and comforting—this
is a hot-chocolate-on-a-cold night kind of yarn, and I wanted
to be wearing something made from it right away. Lucky for me,
the yarn knits up so quickly that I was, in fact, wearing something
from it within hours of squeezing my first skein.

Shroom knits up lightening fast at two and a half stitches per
inch and will be hugging your head—or the head of a lucky
recipient—sooner than you can forage for a basketful of Boletus
edulis.

And wouldn’t you rather head to your LYS instead
of the mall for your last-minute shopping? I thought so.

PATTERN NOTES[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

I highly recommend using Spud & Chloe Outer for the best results.
Substitution in this case will be a bit tricky because Spud & Chloe
Outer is technically a "super bulky," but its wool/cotton
fiber content gives it unique properties. If you plan to use another
yarn, swatch carefully: many other super bulkies will be too thick
and not drape nicely. To get a similar slouchy effect with another
yarn, you might try a bulky-weight yarn that is a bit lighter
in weight than Outer but lofty enough to be knitted at a gauge
looser than the ball band suggests.

Be sure to cast on loosely; use a needle one size larger
if you tend to CO tightly.

1x1 Rib (worked in the round over a multiple
of 4 sts)Round 1: [K1, p1] to end.
Repeat this round for 1x1 rib.

Puff Rib (Worked in the round over a
multiple of 3 sts; stitch count does not stay the same – check
count after Round 4 only.)Round 1: [Yo, k1, yo, p2]
to end.Round 2: [K3, p2] to end.Round 3: [K3, p2] to end.Round 4: [K3tog, p2] to end.
Adapted for knitting in the round from
Barbara Walker’s (first) A Treasury of Knitting
Patterns.

K3tog: Knit 3 sts together.

DIRECTIONS

Using US #9/5.5mm 16-inch circular needle,
CO 48 sts. Place marker and join to work
in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work in 1x1 rib until piece measures 3.5[4] inches from
CO edge. Change to US #11/8mm 16-inch
circular needle, and work in Puff Rib
for 3[4] repeats.

Piece should measure about 6.75[8] inches
from CO edge. 48 sts.

Work round 1 of Puff Rib stitch once more. 80 sts.

Decrease for crown as follows, switching to double-pointed
needles or magic loop when necessary:

Round 1: [K3, p2tog] to end. 64 sts.

Round 2: [K2, p2tog] to end.
48 sts.

Round 3: [K1, p2tog] to end.
32 sts.

Round 4: [K2tog, p2tog] to
end. 16 sts.

Round 5: [K2tog] to end. 8
sts.

8 sts remain. Break yarn, leaving 8-inch tail.

FINISHING
Thread tail through remaining sts twice and fasten off inside
hat. Weave in ends. Wash gently and dry flat if you like, but
do not block.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Lee has been known to wear her favorite
hats -- indoors and out -- all winter long
(although not all of them at once). She
is the designer of several patterns published
in Knitty, including Sugar
on Snow and Unmentionables.

You can see more of her work on Ravelry,
where she is “workwoman,” and
in Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti by
Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain.